| < | 2♠ | 2NT | ||
| 3♣ | 3♦ | 3♥ | 3♠ | 3NT |
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Double |
What’s your call?
Discussion
For yesterday’s It’s Your Call deal (from Feb. 2009’s Bridge Bulletin), 2♠ was named top bid.
“2♠,” said Barry Rigal. “No fair! Two in a row — are you trying to lose loyal panelists? I could be giving up a score of 500 or playing in a 3–3 partscore. Oh well, I’ll try and win the event on the next deal.”
“2♠ is ugly, but what else?” asked August Boehm.
“It doesn’t look like we have an eight-card fit, so I might as well stay low with 2♠,” said Steve Robinson.
Mike Lawrence agreed with 2♠. “I hate to leave the double in because East is a favorite to have six heart winners, and two more may exist.”
“2♠,” echoed Jill Meyers. “Not enough to invite, no four-card suit and no heart stopper — what else?”
Five panelists cuebid 3♥.
“Passing 2♥ is too big a position,” said Richard Freeman.
“The heart spots are too poor to pass,” said Kitty and Steve Coopers, “so we look for the right strain.”
“Whatever partner bids, I’ll pass,” said Betty Ann Kennedy.
“3♥,” agreed Kerri Sanborn. “I hate it and have admiration for 2♠ instead. Pass could work, but it’s too big a position to take.”
Some panelists were willing to take that position.
“Pass, ugh!” exclaimed Larry Cohen. “I don’t want to be a wimp two deals in a row, so I reluctantly pass. I don’t love this, but there is just nothing good to bid.”
“I’m not willing to risk playing a silly 3–3 fit,” said Karen Walker. “If we can find a tap suit, I expect to scrape up at least plus 200.”
“I have three quick tricks,” said Lynn Deas, “so I will take what looks like my best chance of a big score. Bidding 2♠ is the other choice, but that’s not so great either as it understates my values, and could be the wrong suit to play in.”
“Pass,” agreed Allan Falk. “This might be disastrous, but we rate to nip 2♥ a trick. I have no other bid that does not risk minus 300 or more. Hoping to scrape up six tricks seems our best shot.”
Two panelists bid 3♣.
“We play that 3♣ shows values,” said Peggy and John Sutherlin. “Partner rates to bid more if we have game. Partner’s double was balancing, so a 3♥ cuebid may get us too high. Pass may result in minus 670, so 3♣ is all that is left.”
“We choose 3♣ as a middle-ground effort — it shows values,” said Janet and Mel Colchamiro. “We don’t like 2♠ on a three-card suit. Bidding 3♥ passes the buck, but where will it lead?”
“We demoted Pass because 13 people bid something and only four passed,” said the Coopers, the week’s scorers.
The panel chose four different actions, but nobody was crazy about any of them. Any could work out — sometimes you don’t have a good call.
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